2006 News & Press Releases

Ecumenical Movement Gives Thanks for the Life of Dr. Kistner

Dr. Wolfram Kistner, the former Director of the Council's Justice and Reconciliation Division, has passed away in Johannesburg at the age of 83. The SACC gives thanks for the life of this great pastor, theologian, activist and friend.

Civil Society Partnership to Save Lives

A group of civil society organisations, including the SACC, issued this statement on World AIDS Day.

SACC Outraged by AIDS "Cure" Claim

The Council is outraged by reports that a traditional healer has claimed that more than 500 people have been cured of HIV infection in the past two years using a variety of African herbs. The General Secretary has called on churches to be centres of accurate information about the disease and its prevention and to provide compassionate care and support for those infected with and affected by the virus.

Council Concerned About Torture, Poll Delays in Western Sahara

Following a meeting with representatives of the Saharawi Republic, the General Secretary has expressed concern about reports of torture and human rights abuses in Western Sahara. He called on the South African government to use its influence at the United Nations to hasten the promised referendum on the territory's future.

International Church Action for Peace in Palestine and Israel

ICAPPI will hold its second annual advocacy week 3-9 June 2007 and the SACC will participate once again. Clement John's letter shares advance information about the event.

Sabeel Conference Calls for Prayer, Advocacy

The General Secretary of the SACC took part in the Sixth International Conference of Sabeel, an ecumenical grassroots liberation theology movement among Palestinian Christians. The Conference Statement calls on Sabeel's friends to commit themselves to active prayer, education, and advocacy on behalf of the Palestinian people.

Council Urges Retailers to Reconsider Court Bid

Reacting to reports that some of South Africa's largest clothing retailers are planning to take the government to court to block the introduction of protective quotas on Chinese textile imports, the SACC General Secretary urged the retailers to reconsider the move. He encouraged them to use established negotiating forums instead to resolve the dispute in a way that would help to save and create jobs for South African workers.

Civil Society HIV/AIDS Congress Statement and Resolutions

Three hundred and fifty delegates from civil society organisations met 27-28 October to discuss and assess the national response to HIV prevention and treatment, to devise programmes and to share knowledge and experiences. The unprecedented Congress, hosted by the SACC, TAC,COSATU and SANGOCO, took place at a critically important time, as government leads the process to review the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC) and develop a new National Strategic plan on HIV and AIDS (2007-2011).

Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu Celebrates his 75th Birthday

The SACC invites friends and well-wishers to send greetings to Anglican Archbishop Emeritus and former SACC General Secretary Desmond Tutu to mark his recent 75th birthday.

People's Budget Coalition Responds to the 2006 Medium Term Budget Policy Statement

The People's Budget Coalition (SACC, COSATU and SANGOCO) welcomed the expansionary three-year budget framework for the period leading up to the 2010 World Cup, but challenged government to ensure that the World Cup does not just become a short-lived turn on the world stage but "a springboard to meeting broader state objectives: achieving sustainable reductions in unemployment, poverty, and inequality; investing in basic infrastructure - such as reliable and efficient public transport - that serves the needs of all South Africans, especially the poor and the working poor.

Civil Society Coalition Releases Discussion Documents for HIV/AIDS Congress

The Civil Society Coalition (SACC, COSATU, SANGOCO and TAC) organising the 27-28 October Civil Society Congress on HIV/AIDS has released a series of discussion documents in preparation for the event.

SACC Outraged by Murder of Bishop Alberto Ramento

The General Secretary expressed the Council's shock at the murder of Bishop Alberto Ramento, the former Prime Bishop of the Philippine Independent Church (IFI). Bishop Ramento was stabbed to death in the rectory of his church in Tarlac, Philippines, on 3 October. His death is the latest in a series of murders of Christian leaders and human rights activists in the Philippines.

Churches applaud South Africa's Security Council Seat

The SACC welcomed South Africa's election to the United Nations Security Council and urged the South African government to use its mandate to promote economic justice, peace and good stewardship of the environment.

SACC Executive Aims to Expand Dialogue on Moral Regeneration

The quarterly meeting of the Council's National Executive Committee expressed concern about the moral decay evident in our society's casual attitude to poverty, greed, crime and violence. It also urged Christians not to allow differences of opinion on the question of same-sex marriages to divide the church or to divert it from the task of moral regeneration.

Building Solidarity and an Action Plan to Save Lives

The South African Council of Churches, COSATU, the South African National NGO Coalition (SANGOCO) and the Treatment Action Campaign announced details of a major new initiative to prevent and treat HIV in South Africa.

SACC, UUCSA Issue Joint Call for Respect and Tolerance

In the wake of an international furore over the remarks made by Pope Benedict XVI at a scientific colloquium at the University of Regensburg, the South African Council of Churches and the United Ulama Council of South Africa have issued a joint call for calm, religious tolerance and mutual respect. The statement was motivated in part by reports of attacks on Christian churches in Palestine, an area in which there has historically been cordial relations between the Christian and Muslim communities.

SACC Calls for Justice for the "Cuban Five" and All Political Prisoners

The General Secretary joined with other civil society organisations around the world in expressing concern about the fate of five Cubans imprisoned in the United States. On the eighth anniversary of their incarceration, the General Secretary called on the US to ensure justice for the "Cuban Five", to end its punative blockade of Cuba, and to take action against individuals who use US soil as a base for launching terrorist attacks on Cuba.

Ecumenical Leaders Applaud Import Quotas

The SACC and the Economic Justice Network have welcomed the South African government's plans to introduce new quotas on clothing imports from China. SACC General Secretary Eddie Makue noted that the restrictions were coinsistent with the principles articulated by the global ecumenical campaign for trade justice and pledged the Council's support for trade union efforts to secure compliance from clothing retaillers.

SACC Letter on Marriage

As Parliament prepares to consider how best to respond to the Constitutional Court's December 2005 ruling that the Marriage Act must be developed to bring it in line with South Africa's Constitution, the General Secretary of the SACC has written to the Chairs of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committees on Home Affairs and Justice & Constitutional Development to articulate a religious motivation for marriage equality.

Vlok's Act of Contrition Welcome, But Insufficient

Following press reports that former Minister of Law and Order Adriaan Vlok had washed the feet of former SACC General Secretary Dr. Frank Chikane as an act of contrition for apartheid-era crimes, the SACC welcomed Vlok's private apology but called for full disclosure and a public apology as a further sign of repentance.

SACC Calls for Cooperation to Fight HIV/AIDS Pandemic

The General Secretary called for much more to be done to combat the "epidemic of death that is sweeping our nation" following a meeting with the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) to discuss the issues raised in TAC's 24 August Global Day of Action.

Prayers for the Month of Compassion

The SACC Central Committee voted to dedicate the traditional August "Month of Compassion" to remembering victims of crime and violence, especially violence against women. The Council's Faith and Mission Unit has compiled prayers and litanies appropriate for use during the month. (This document is in PDF format and requires the free Adobe Reader.)

Bishop of Jerusalem appeals for urgent ceasefire

The SACC received a letter from The Rt. Rev. Riah H. Abu El-Assal, the Anglican Bishop of Jerusalem, appealing for increased international pressure for an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East.

SACC Protests US Ban on Aid to Cuban Council

The General Secretary has written to US President George Bush to object to the recommendation of the Commission for Assistance to a Free Cuba that the United States halt the distribution of humanitarian aid through the Cuban Council of Churches.

SACC Asks SA Government to Broker Mideast Peace

The SACC has called on the South African government to host a peace process, modeled on South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission, for all parties to the current conflict in the Middle East.

SA Accompanier Attacked by Settler in Hebron

Duduzile Masango, a South African volunteer participating in the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme for Palestine and Israel, was assaulted by an Israeli settler whilst waiting for the girls whom they had been accompanying to and from school. This is Duduzile's account of the incident, over which the World Council of Churches has lodged a complaint with the Israeli Ambassador to South Africa.

Central Committee Discusses ASGI-SA, Violent Crime

The SACC's Central Committee discussed a range of domestic and international issues at their two-day annual meeting on 11-12 July. The Committee affirmed the need to work with government on the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative, but emphasised that the moral obligation to share applies independently of the success of growth-oriented measures. Delegates expressed concern about increased levels of violence locally and globally and authorised the production of materials to help churches separate fears from fiction and grapple with the underlying issues. Other topics included: Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Palestine and Israel, and HIV/AIDS.

Council "Shattered" by the Death of Former President, Bishop Sigqibo Dwane

The SACC and AACC are shocked by the tragic deaths of former SACC President Bishop Sigqibo Dwane, the outgoing Presiding Bishop of the Ethiopian Episcopal Church, and his wife, Ntombezinhlanu, in a multi-vehicle accident last night.

SACC Statement on Violence tearing South African Society Apart

úViolence is the problem that most concerns Americans. And it is a problem that has defied most of the solutions we have adopted against it; from longer prison sentences to the death penalty.î-James Gilligan, an American psychiatrist.

SACC Executive Discusses National and Regional Issues

The National Executive Committee of the South African Council of Churches (SACC) discussed a range of national and regional issues at its quarterly meeting yesterday, including the persistently high levels of violence in the nation and the forthcoming elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

SACC Mourns the Death of Eric Molobi

The General Secretary said that South Africa had lost a great leader and patriot with the passing of Eric Molobi. Molobi, Executive Director of Kagiso Trust, played a central role in establishing the Joint Enrichment Project to equip youth for church and community leadership.

Church, Union Agree to Explore New Partnerships

SACC and National Union of Mineworkers officials met in the wake of the NUM President's critical comments on Christianity. The NUM apologised unreservedly for the remarks and invited churches to explore new partnership opportunities.

Justice for the Rich; Nothing for the Poor

In the wake of the acquittal of five accused murderers in the Phongola district this week, activist organisation Church Land Programme has expressed outrage at the lack of legal support and access to justice for the rural poor in South Africa.

Council Backs Call to Action on AIDS

The Council of Churches endorsed the the 23 April march by the Treatment Action Campaign, the SA Democratic Teachers' Union and the Rural AIDS and Development Action Research Programme intended to promote the call to prevent the infection of two million people over the next four years.

SACC Mourns Death of Bishop Harold Ben Senatle

The General Secretary, Mr Eddie Makue, extended the Council's condolences to the family of AME Bishop Harold Ben Senatle who died this week at the age of 79. Bishop Senatle was remembered as a vocal opponent of apartheid, an advocate of education and a friend of the ecumenical movement.

SACC Appoints New General Secretary

The National Executive Committee of the SACC has named Mr. Eddie Makue, the current Deputy General Secretary, to replace Dr. Molefe Tsele when his five-year term as General Secretary concludes on 1 April 2006.

SACC Executive Considers Elections, Arms, Same-Sex Unions

In its first meeting of 2006, the SACC National Executive Commmittee discussed a range of topics including the recent municipal elections and forthcoming elections in the DRC, small arms control, improving living conditions for refugees in South Africa, Palestine and Israel, and February's ecumenical seminar on same-sex unions.

SACC Joins World Churches in Calling For Mideast Peace

The South African Council of Churches will take part in a global week of "International Church Action for Peace in Palestine and Israel" from 12 to 19 March 2006 in response to a call from Jerusalem church leaders. There will be a service at St. George's Cathedral in Cape Town to mark the commencement of the week, and, in Johannesburg, the SACC will train more volunteers to take part in the World Council of Churches' Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel.

SACSOC Commends Free and Fair Municipal Elections

The South African Civil Society Observation Coalition (SACSOC), which is co-ordinated by the South African Council of Churches, pronounced the 1 March municipal government elections "free and fair". The Coalition said it was proud of the maturity of South Africa's voters and the efficiency of the Electoral Commission machinery. It noted some minor administrative problems which will be taken up with the Commission, but which did not mar the outcome of the elections. The Coalition expressed the hope that the election will "build a foundation for accelerated and improved delivery of services, particularly to poorer households."

People's Budget Response to the 2006 Budget

The People's Budget Coalition -- which includes the SACC, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) and the South African NGO Coalition (SANGOCO) -- welcomed the Minister of Finance's 2006-2007 National Budget, saying that it "promises real benefits for the poor". At the same time, the Coalition questioned the budget's capacity to support employment creation, contribute to more equitable access to assets, skills and infrastructure and extend social protection to ensure that no South African suffers destitution.

Churches Initiate a Broad Discussion of Same-Sex Marriages

More than 100 delegates from Christian churches - both members and non-members of the SACC - gathered on 6-7 February to discuss same-sex marriage. The meeting took place following the recent Constitutional Court ruling that South Africa's Marriage Act is inconsistent with the Constitution's prohibition of discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation. The event was just a preliminary conversation on a complex and emotive subject, yet participants broadly supported a number of key principles concerning the role of scripture, the importance of the Constitution, the imperative to love and affirm all people and the need to continue the dialogue.

Jerusalem Church Leaders Urge World Churches to Advocate for Peace

Church Leaders in Jerusalem write to motivate participation in the World Council of Churches International Church Action for Peace in Palestine and Israel, 12-19 March 2006. The South African Council of Churches has endorsed this initiative and urges all people of faith to pray for a just peace in the region.

SA Interfaith Delegation Explores Reconciliation in Rwanda

An interfaith delegation to Rwanda, led by the SACC in December 2005 at the invitation of the South African Ambassador to Rwanda, HE Mr. Ezra Sigwela, recounts its experiences. The delegation met with senior officials of the Rwandan government, officials of Rwanda's Gacaca courts, leaders of the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission, and representatives of the country's faith communities. The report concludes with suggestions for what people of faith in South Afirca can do to support peace and reconciliation in Rwanda.

Tulkarem Youth: Hopes and Fears in a Troubled Society

Ashwin Pienaar, a South African participant in the World Council of Churches' Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI), introduces us to the Dar Qandeel Cultural Centre in Tulkarem and shares insights gleaned from conversations with young Palestinians.

Churches, Equality and Same-Sex Unions

The South African Council of Churches will convene a theological consultation on same-sex unions in early February. In an opinion column prepared for the Financial Mail, the General Secretary of the SACC discusses the Church's public ministry in the midst of this contentious debate.